Unfortunately, individuals sometimes find themselves in situations in which they need assistance. For example, an individual might suffer a sudden heart attack, or an unexpected traffic problem, such as a vehicle breakdown or accident, or there might be an intruder in the house, or someone suspicious approaching, or the like. In such situations, the individual could call a predefined emergency telephone number, such as 911, to notify authorities and request such emergency services as police, ambulance, fire, towing, or the like. Alternatively or additionally, the individual could call one or more family members, friends, or other contacts to notify them of the situation as well.
In an emergency, however, individuals typically cannot afford the time to make a number of phone calls to notify various others that the situation exists. For example, if an individual is having a heart attack, he would not likely want to make more than one phone call, nor would he likely be able to do so. If an intruder were in the house, the individual would want to focus on getting out of the house, rather than making a number of calls.
There are also emergency situations in which the individual cannot actually dial a phone. For example, if the individual has suffered a heart attack, he might not be able to dial the number, or be lucid enough, while in pain, even to remember the number to dial. Similarly, if the individual is being robbed at gunpoint, the robber is unlikely to allow the victim to make a phone call. If an intruder were in the house or a suspicious person approaching, the individual would likely not want to be heard while calling for help.
Hence, there is a need in the art for systems and methods by which an individual in need of emergency assistance can notify a plurality of contacts by initiating a single communication. There is especially a need for such systems and methods wherein such notification can be triggered without requiring the individual to dial a phone or to speak.